Midwest Buy-Onboard Best Care Cuisine

24th Mar 2005

In an ongoing effort to
resist trends in the airline industry, distinguish itself from the
competition and please customers, Midwest Airlines has redesigned its
inflight dining program and will soon feature fresh, contemporary
buy-onboard meals. A well- known Milwaukee restaurant will assist the
airline in menu planning and meal preparation for its new Best Care
Cuisine. Additionally, the airline will operate its own dining services
center and manage all components of its inflight food and beverage service. “Midwest Airlines built its reputation as ‘The best care in the air’ by
offering passengers outstanding customer service, and we intend to
continue that legacy by providing customers with an inflight experience
that is second to none,” said Timothy E. Hoeksema, chairman and chief
executive officer. “Our buy-onboard Best Care Cuisine will please
customers with distinctive menu selections that are interesting and
unique, yet attractively priced. We are bringing back some old favorites
and introducing new selections, including grilled chicken fajitas and
sesame-crusted chicken breast. And, of course, we will continue to offer
our complimentary trademark baked-onboard chocolate chip cookies.”

After an extensive search, Midwest Airlines chose Mader’s Restaurant to
assist with development and preparation of its Best Care Cuisine. Mader’s —a renowned Milwaukee restaurant since 1902—was chosen because of the
expertise and innovation of its executive chef, Shawn Monroe, as well as
for its experience serving customers in large numbers at various Milwaukee
venues.

Chef Monroe—who has worked with celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse,
Wolfgang Puck and Daniel Boulud—joined Mader’s in 2002. Known for his
emphasis on using local products and blending flavors and regional styles,
Chef Monroe introduced a new menu for the restaurant’s 100th anniversary
celebration that year featuring lighter, modern fare.

“We are pleased to be working with Midwest Airlines on this unique
approach to inflight dining,” said Victor Mader, president of Mader’s
Restaurant. “We look forward to bringing flavorful meals to customers
aboard Midwest Airlines, just as we do to our own customers.”

Chef Monroe is working with Midwest Airlines to completely revamp its buy-
onboard menu selections, drawing on his skill in contemporary cuisine.
Best Care Cuisine will place special emphasis on presentation and will
feature fresh ingredients in creative combinations. Chef Monroe and his
staff will be in charge of preparing all Midwest Airlines’ buy-onboard
meals.

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Midwest Airlines will operate its dining services center and food
preparation kitchen out of completely remodeled space located on the
Milwaukee airport grounds. It expects to open a similar operation in
Kansas City later this year. The airline has hired a manager to oversee
its dining program and additional employees to staff its dining services
center.

Midwest Airlines’ redesigned dining program featuring Best Care Cuisine is
an important component in the airline’s effort to redefine and expand its
customers’ travel experience. According to Scott R. Dickson, senior vice
president and chief marketing officer, Best Care Cuisine will provide
passengers with an appealing dining option, and is also expected to save
the airline money—a win-win situation for both passengers and the
airline. “At a time when other airlines are reducing or eliminating their
buy-onboard meals altogether, we have found a way to cost-effectively
offer quality buy-onboard meals,” Dickson added.

Best Care Cuisine will be available on most Midwest Airlines Signature and
Saver Service flights. Pricing for meals starts at $5 for a breakfast
snack and goes up to $10 for a dinner. The airline will begin offering the
new meals May 10. ——-